Ontario Municipal Human Resources Association

Employee orientation and onboarding is a crucial first step in introducing a new employee to the organization and their role. Establishing and implementing effective orientation and onboarding practices is important as these processes equip employees with the necessary skills, tools and expectations which will allow them to successfully integrate and succeed in the workplace. Below, we discuss some of the reasons why meaningful onboarding and orientation are important for employers and to employees.

Discharging Legal Obligations

• Why it’s Important for Employers

Employers are legally obligated to provide certain types of training under various pieces of legislation and/or collective agreements. Discharging the employer’s legal obligations ensures compliance with the law, protects employees’ rights and reduces the risk of disputes or penalties.

For example, the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 requires all designated public sector, businesses and non-profit organizations with one or more employees to provide training on its accessibility rules and standards.

• Why it’s Important to Employees

When employers meet their legal obligations during onboarding and orientation, it helps employees start their roles with confidence, clarity, and trust. Employees feel protected, informed, and supported and are more likely to view the employer as acting with integrity and good faith. Fulfilling these obligations also helps builds trust, fairness and stability in the overall workplace.

Setting Expectations

• Why it’s Important for Employers

Setting clear expectations during onboarding and orientation ensures that employees understand their role, responsibilities and workplace standards from the outset. If employers expect to hold employees accountable to policies and workplace standards, those expectations should be clearly communicated and understood early in the employment relationship. Clear expectations help reduce misunderstandings, improve performance, and promote consistent compliance with policies and workplace standards. This is especially so when these expectations are set out in an employee handbook, incorporated into the employment agreement and signed prior to the employee’s start date.

For example, when expectations around calling in sick are made clear from onboarding and orientation, the employer can expect that employee to follow the established procedure which will allow the employer to better monitor and manage employee absences.

• Why it’s Important to Employees

Setting clear expectations during onboarding is important to employees because it helps them understand what is required of them and how the workplace policies and standards are applied. When expectations are communicated upfront, employees feel better able to perform their roles confidently and in manner that avoids unintentional breaches of policy. Clear onboarding also promotes fairness and transparency by ensuring employees know the rules they are being held to.

Strengthening Retention

• Why it’s Important for Employers

Effective onboarding and orientation supports stronger employee retention and long-term engagement which can protect organizational stability. When employers invest in clear, supportive onboarding, employees are more likely to feel engaged and invested in the organization. Higher retention reduces recruitment and training time and costs, preserves institutional knowledge and support a consistent, productive workforce.

For example, an employee who quits early on because of unclear role expectations creates the need for the organization to endure additional time and resources in training a new hire, rather than benefiting from the original employee’s continued contribution.

• Why it’s Important to Employees

Employees who receive clear guidance, support, and information from the outset are better equipped to succeed in their roles and feel the employer is genuinely committed to their success and wellbeing. This early investment promotes engagement and belonging, making employees feel confident, valued, and connected and, in turn, more likely to remain with the organization and commit to its long-term success.

Overarching Considerations

Some overarching considerations to carrying out a meaningful orientation and onboarding practice include:

• Documenting onboarding and orientation processes.
  • This ensures expectations are consistent and repeatable, regardless of who is delivering them.
• Keeping records of what has been reviewed and completed and when.
  • This ensures nothing is missed and provides accountability for both the organization and the new hire.
• Actively seeking and welcoming feedback from new employees about their onboarding experience.
  • This is a powerful tool for identifying gaps, refining practices and continuously improving the way new team members are welcomed, supported, and set up for success.

Ultimately, thoughtful onboarding and orientation lay the foundation for success because a strong start makes a lasting difference for both employees and employers.

Written by: Jessica Herfst, a lawyer at Turnpenney Milne LLP